T- 104: A tragedy while we celebrate Project Tiger

Tigers have always fascinated humans. And it is a curse — the precipitous fall of their number globally is testimony to that. But of late we hear stories of rebound. Project Tiger which was launched in 1973 is considered universally a stupendous success. As per the latest survey, India’s tiger population is 3,167 — an all-time high.

The country is now on adrenaline. Some are speaking about reaching 10,000 tigers. But most of us don’t understand that tigers are at the pinnacle of the forest ecosystem, and a significant forest area is needed to support one adult tiger (~20 sq km for females and ~100 sq km for males).

Let’s look at Jim Corbett National Park, whose estimated tiger count is 252, which will possibly need an area of more than 5,000 sq km, but has only 520 sq km. Add to this that in many reserve forests, the native population is yet to be moved out, and it is not desirable either. But what happens, as a result, is conflict. It is estimated that upwards of 50 people are killed by tigers in Sundarbans every year, but most are not reported to avoid harassment.

It is not a surprise that we often hear about tigers attacking cattle in villages adjoining the jungle, and even humans. The fight for space and prey is the key driver, especially as the big cats age or get injured, and their capacity to hunt comes down. Cattle and humans are also easy prey compared to hunting in the jungle, and tigers tend to get addicted to it — on the path to being called maneaters, who are hunted down.

T -104 of Ranthambore, also known as Chiku and Aves, was born around 2016. As it grew to become a majestic big cat, it became a prized tourist attraction in the park. But behind the public sightings, celebrity status, and umpteen photographs that were savored by us was a struggle for existence. Ranthambore also suffers from the same malaise, the overpopulation of tigers.

With 80 tigers spread over 1,344 sq km, Ranthambore is the third most congested tiger reserve in the country. And this is not a recent development. T — 104 struggled to find space that could call its own. It moved hundreds of kilometers to establish hegemony, and by 2019 it got into conflicts with humans. And three people were killed by it in quick succession, necessitating the capture.

What do you do with a tiger which has attacked humans, and declared a man-eater? It can’t be anywhere near the human settlements, but unfortunately for T–104, it was aggressive even with other tigers. So the only option is to be caged for life. One was built at Bhid Chowki, in the remote Balas Dang area of Ranthambore, away from any humans and tigers.

Four years passed, and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) was permitted to transfer T-104 to Sajjangarh Biological Park in Udaipur, where it will be in the enclosure but will be open to public viewing. Chiku made the journey after being tranquilized, reached, had water and food, and went to sleep. But was found dead in the morning. That was 10th May 2023.

Reason? He had a severe lung infection and the tranquilization aggravated it. Ideally, it should have been checked before departure, and most probably it is a case of gross negligence.

T — 104 was seven years old. Middle-aged by tiger standards, he spent the majority of his life in isolated captivity. Declared a man-eater, that is the best the forest authorities could do. But the deeper question remains — why we are allowing overpopulation in our parks where even healthy adults are struggling to get space? And being forced to get into conflicts with humans?

In the first three years of his life, Aves or Chiku was a darling. The majestic Royal Bengal Tiger is one of the most photographed ever. But then it was a story of tragedy — fight for space, identified as a man-eater, life in isolation of a far away cage, and finally a sad death being tranquilized when its lungs were afflicted.

Look at the majestic beauty at its prime, and the listless body lying on the ground. Does it not give us a glimpse of the unseen side of Project Tiger?

Maybe the time has come for us to be more integrated in our thinking. Not just increasing numbers, but a dignified life for each tiger under the project should be the priority.

PS: The painting of Chiku near waterbody is by @Bappaditya Mukhopadhyay